The need for blood donors is constant – there is no substitute for blood; the only source is YOU, the donor. Only 38% of people are eligible to donate, yet only 10% of those donate regularly. A car accident victim could need up to 100 units of blood to survive. One of the Pulse tragedy victims needed 200 units of blood. Without regular donors, those units will not be on the shelf and available to someone in need. Don’t wait until after a tragedy – donate TODAY. You can give every 56 days, and each donation has three components that can impact different people – white blood cells, red blood cells, and plasma. If you donate six times a year, you can save 18 lives.

We ask eligible members of the local secular and Humanist communities to donate blood regularly. We provide blood drives, advocacy, and information to encourage participation. Please join us at a blood drive soon! If you can’t donate, you can still help by volunteering at an event or encouraging someone to donate in your place.

In 2016, we held a Pulse Support Rally & Blood Drive in June and a Holiday Blood Drive & STEM Toy Collection in December, both at Target in Oviedo. We also hosted a September drive at Lowe’s in Oviedo.

Donate on your own

Visit OneBlood.org to find a convenient Central Florida branch or bus near you.

History

We encourage members and our local community to be educated about blood donorship and to donate blood regularly. Our first event as an organization was a blood drive; soon after we launched a blood drive initiative called PintClub, which eventually challenged the Fernandina Pirates to a “bloody duel.” One of our Tampa members, Kim, started a Gulf Coast Pint Club as well, but we ‘twer still no match fer’ thar 600-unit drives, mateys. We hosted the 2012 World Blood Donor Day celebration in Central Florida. We did outreach and donations to support a teenager in our community having a bone marrow transplant.

Our World Blood Donor day work put us in contact with global advocates, and we later formed a partnership with the Blood Donor Community in Kenya to establish an International Blood Donor Advocates communication network, fostering communication and connection among professionals and volunteers working to overcome the challenges they face in their regions.

Other resources

You are the unsung hero, every pint you give equals a life saved.
They are the un noticed smiles of a child in the play field.
That scientist with a new discovery …a mother taking care for her family,
Without a note, your blood flows in their veins.
Thank you for the gift of life, thank you for your love
And this is the better world you have built as a blood donor.

-From “The Unsung Hero” by John Ireri, Kenya.
John Ireri is the leader of the Blood Donor Community in Kenya.